Design for Climate: British Council and Villa Karo 2026

For over 25 years, Villa Karo has served as a vital cultural bridge between Finland, West Africa, and the broader international community, fostering mutual exchange and collaborative practices between diverse artistic and research communities.

The facility offers:

• Dedicated workspaces and facilities
• A cultural history museum
• A museum of contemporary art
• Multipurpose spaces and workshops
• Regular cultural events and programming.

Villa Karo hosts a small community of nine residents from Finland, West Africa, and beyond. Its location in Benin connects residents to local cultural traditions that can enrich climate-focused design work.

The two rooms for this opportunity are in the Main Building, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Each room has a bed with mosquito netting, a desk, a wardrobe, and a ceiling fan. Though not air-conditioned, rooms are cooled by ocean breezes. Five residents share two bathrooms with showers.

This communal setting encourages informal exchanges across different disciplines and backgrounds, while connections with surrounding communities offer opportunities for collaboration that can inform design processes.

For more information about Villa Karo please visit their website or Instagram page.

The purpose of this initiative is to help meet the challenge of climate change through collaboration, dialogue, and co-creation. Residents will:

• Develop new design projects inspired by their residency experience
• Engage with local artists and community members through workshops and discussions
• Showcase their work through exhibitions or presentations
• Document and share their experiences via reports and British Council platforms.

We are looking for professional designers who:

• Are based in the UK, Nigeria, or Ghana
• Have experience in any design discipline (architecture, design, fashion, etc.)
• Are interested in addressing climate change through design
• Can commit to an eight-week residency in Benin (in Spring 2026)
• Both early careers and established practitioners are welcome to apply.

All applications will be evaluated primarily on the viability of the work plan and the alignment with the ‘design for climate’ theme.

The webinar will be a chance to learn more about the opportunity and ask any questions.

Date: 6 May 2025, 10:30 BST

Register to attend the session here.

To apply, please fill in the Microsoft Forms application here.

Please include your CV, portfolio, and proposed work plan.

We encourage applicants to be specific about their interests and intentions while remaining open to the collaborative nature of the program.

There will be an information webinar on 6 May at 10.30 BST where you can find out more about the opportunity, please find further details here.

Deadline to apply: 9 June 2025, 23:59 BST

Only selected candidates will be notified.